Municipal election races by New Milford Democrats in recent years have been lackluster.

Republicans now hold majority seats on most town boards and commissions. Republican mayor Pat Murphy won an unprecedented sixth term in November with no Democratic challenger.

"What we've done here tonight was a group effort," Grossman said Thursday. "It proves that New Milford Democrats can work together and achieve goals. We can and will beat Republicans in upcoming elections."

"The enthusiasm of New Milford's Democrats in showing up on a cold night in January when nobody's mind is on politics shows the Democratic party in New Milford is alive and well," said Andy Grossman, spokesman for New Milford Democrats for Change, who will retain his membership on the committee.

"We must give credit to John Lillis for his work over the years. He certainly is a credit to the party," Grossman said. "As is Liba Furhman, who had done tremendous work for the Democrats in this town.

"They should be proud. We just felt it was time for a change," Grossman added.

The evening became raucous when Lillis, acting as temporary caucus chairman, ruled against a nomination from the floor for Larry Sweeney, Democratic Town Committee chairman in Morris, to serve as the New Milford caucus's permanent chairman.

A parliamentary challenge went out against Lillis' ruling, ending when Lillis and Grossman placed a call to the state Democratic Central Committee for a statute check.

It turns out the chairman must be an enrolled Democrat in the town where the caucus is being held.

"There was no ulterior motive on my part," Sweeney said as he left the caucus before the vote.

"Audrey Blondin, of the State Central Committee, had been contacted by Andy Grossman to come and was out of town. She called me and asked that I fill in for her. She often chairs caucuses in other towns to assure an impartial chair."

Sweeney noted that Furhman, who in the end served as caucus chairman, did "a good job and was certainly unbiased."

"I was disappointed in the results," Lillis said, "and I'm even more disappointed that there were many, many valued Democrats and Town Committee people who were defeated.

The caucus vote Thursday chose a slate of nominees that will be formally named the New Milford Democratic Town Committee at the March 4 primary. An election of new officers will take place later in March or in April.